Impatiens plant

ABSTRACT

An impatiens plant known by the cultivar name Gemini, and characterized by its clear bright pink flower color and contrasting dark green variegated foliage; highly floriferous habit; firm petal texture; relatively large flowers, with distinct deep pink to red throat; continuous flowering and highly stable flower color, with little fading in summer, and by its semi-procumbent and weather resistant habits which make it ideal for baskets and bedding plants.

The present invention relates to a new and distinctive cultivar ofImpatiens plant botanically known as Impatiens, and known by thecultivar name Gemini. The new cultivar was developed by me throughcontrolled breeding in Ashtabula, Ohio. The seed parent was 79-1309-3(Mikkelsen) and the pollen parent was 79-1164-1 (Mikkelsen). Asexualreproduction of terminal or stem cuttings has shown that the uniquefeatures of this new impatiens are stablized and are reproduced true totype in successive propagations.

The following characteristics distinguish Gemini from both its parentvarieties and other cultivated impatiens of this type known and used inthe floriculture industry:

1. A low, somewhat loosely growing plant that is set apart from otherMikkelsen hybrids by the distinctive clear bright pink flower colorcontrasting with dark green variegated foliage.

2. The new cultivar is highly floriferous, averaging 6-8 blooms perwhorl; petal texture is firm, nearly approaching the texture ofColumbia, disclosed in my pending application.

3. The individual flowers are further unique in possessing a distinctdeep pink to red throat. Flower size is large, 6-7 cm. in diameter, withsome flowers in specimen plants measuring up to 8 cm. in diameter.

4. The new cultivar is semi-procumbent and therefore ideal for baskets.Field trials demonstrate that Gemini is an excellent outdoor beddingplant, being highly resistant to weather damage; the cultivar looked asgood in October as in August, the time the photographic drawing wastaken.

5. Flowering is continuous outside until killing frost. Foliage showsvery little "pinking" in the variegation in cool weather. Planting infull sunlight is essential for best qualities of this cultivar.

6. The dark red spur of the flowers is unusually long, measuring 7 cm.

7. Foliage tends to be long, narrow, concave and variegated withmid-vein red in yellow zone.

8. An unusual feature of this new cultivar is the stability of flowercolor winter and summer, with very little fading in full sunlight, withthe reverse of petal being nearly the same color as top side.

The accompanying colored photograph taken in August in full sunillustrates the overall appearance of Gemini. The photo is essentially atop perspective view and shows the colors as true as it is reasonablypossible to obtain in a colored reproduction of this type.

The following is a detailed description of my new impatiens cultivarbased on plants produced under commercial practices in Ashtabula, Ohio.The illustrated specimen was planted outside in full sun the second weekof June from a 4" pot. When the photo was taken in August, the singleplant measured 50 cm. diameter by 25 cm. high. Color references are madeto The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

Parentage: Mikkelsen seedling 79-1309-3 × Mikkelsen seedling 79-1164-1.

Propagation:

(A) Stem cuttings.--A cutting 15 mm. long will develop to 4 cm. in 21-24days.

(B) Time to initiate root.--8-10 days at 23° C. summer.

Time to initiate root.--12-14 days at 20° C. winter.

(C) Rooting habit.--Very fibrous, dendritic, abundant.

Plant description:

(A) Form.--Low, symmetrical, self-branching, slightly procumbentflowering herb with red stems.

(B) Habit of growth.--Low, somewhat loosely growing, self-branching andsemi-procumbent, with dark red stems; would not be classed as vigorous.

(C) Foliage.--Long narrow variegated foliage, opposite on vegetativestems, in whorls of 5-8 leaves in flowering state. (1) Size: 10-11 cm.long by 2-3 wide (flattened); highly concaved under strong light toreflexing at maturity. (2) Shape: Lanceolate, apex acuminate slightlytwisted, base acute. (3) Texture: Upper surface rugose, reverseglabrous. (4) Margin: Nearly entire to slightly finely serrated. (5)Color: Young foliage, top side yellow green 147-A; under side yellowgreen 147-B; mature foliage top side green 139-A; under side yellowgreen 146-A. Basal and mid-rib variegation yellow 16B. (6) Venation:Pinnate.

Flowering description:

(A) Flowering habits.--Leaf whorl usually contains 7-8 flower budsopening progressively as whorl develops, with last flowers stillblooming as flowers in next whorl begin to open. Records show thatindividual flowers have remained in good condition for up to 20 dayswhich would be considered unusually long for hybrid New GuineaImpatiens.

(B) Natural flowering season.--Indeterminate, with continuous floweringyear around; flower quantity and time for opening directly related tolight.

(C) Flower buds.--Ellipsoidal with 5 cm. long open throated dark redspur originating from the major sepal; flowers perfect.

(D) Flowers borne.--On rather short pedicels, keeping flowers close tofoliage thus accentuating flower color and foliage contrast; dark pinkto red throat in flower gives further flower accent.

(E) Quantity of flowers.--Average 6-8 flowers per whorl of leaves.

(F) Petals.--(1) Shape: Heart-shaped, top very dominant, central pairsmallest. (2) Color, top side in summer when opening, red 55-B, fadingto red 55B-C; under side 55B-C. (3) Number of petals: Five (5). (4) Sizeof flowers: 6-7 cm. in diameter.

(G) Reproductive organs.--(1) Stamens: Five (5) in number. (a) Anthershape: Hooded, color red purple 66-B. (b) Pollen color: Cream. (2)Pistils (a) Stigma: Five (5) in number; segmented column-shaped, colorgreen tint. (b) Style: Colorless. (c) Ovaries: Five (5) in number,celled; size 4.5-5 mm. long before fertilized, green in color.

Capsule.--Explosively dehiscent.

Disease resistance: No known major disease or insect problems observedto date other than botrytis petal rot under very adverse weatherconditions.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct cultivar of impatiens known by thecultivar name Gemini, as disclosed and illustrated, and particularlycharacterized by its clear bright pink flower color and contrasting darkgreen variegated foliage; highly floriferous habit; firm petal texture,relatively large flowers, with distinct deep pink to red throat;continuous flowering and highly stable flower color, with little fadingin summer, and by its semi-procumbent and weather resistant habits whichmake it ideal for baskets and bedding plants.